Brought To You By A Regular 16 Year Old Who Happens To Love Smiling, Dreaming, Music & Writing

Okay. This is awkward. Scratch that. This is REALLY awkward. I can’t believe I’m feeling so uncomfortable while starting a blog post, but I am. 😐

“Why?” I hear you ask. 🤔

Well…maybe because I just took off and didn’t blog for a WHOLE MONTH! The thing is I didn’t even KNOW that this would happen. But it did. I had absolutely no idea that I wouldn’t be able to blog at all this month. Honestly, 2018 hasn’t been that awesome…yet. So far, my January hasn’t been that great. It’s been full of mock exams and studying and tutors and loads of tiring work! I’ve barely had any time to do anything for myself this month. It’s VERY irritating! You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed blogging and how guilty I’ve been feeling for neglecting my blog for this long! I’ve been reluctant to be SO inactive. As you can see, I OBviously haven’t had a successful blogging start to the year! 🙄

My mocks are over though, and (hopefully) I’ll be back to regular blogging till my trademark 2-Month Hiatus before my Cambridge Exams in May! It feels like my blog is honestly suffering from my school-life, but, like they say….what can I do? 🤓

^^This Pic Tho! #Relatable 😂😂 I’m So Sorry That My Blogging Schedule Has Been All Over The Place Lately, But Just Bear With Me! Writing Blog Posts Is Always Easier & More Regular During The Summer Holidays! (Any Other In-Between Holiday During The School Year Does NOT Count – It Turns Into A Studying Break…) 😏

HAPPY 1 YEAR BLOGIVERSARY TO THE SMILING DREAMER BLOG (aka me)!

CONGRATS TO ME! 🎉 When I sit there and just think about it…I always end up in a state of shock & surprise! It’s been 1 YEAR since I started my (AMAZING) Blogging Journey! Someone Pinch Me – I Must Be Dreaming! *OW – that hurt!* Okay, So I’m Actually 100% Awake! It’s true and I can’t seem to believe it! Wow! 😵

I’m not exaggerating, but words can’t seriously describe how happy I am of the things I’ve achieved through blogging! When I first started, I never imagined I would be where I am today, and I couldn’t have done without y’all, so THANKYOU SO SO SO MUCH for supporting me and being there for me and reading and for your kindness and…okay, you get the picture! 😊

BLOG STATS

Blog Stats don’t completely determine your blogging success, which is why I always see that you should NEVER stress about your stats! Don’t live life with the numbers – because that’s just a waste of time and worrying! I usually don’t make a big deal of my blog stats (unless I’ve reached some kind of Milestone), but since it’s been a year since I started The SmilingDreamer Blog, then I thought it’d be fun to include them in the post! 😜

My Stats Should Definitely Not Offend You In Any Way! Please, Don’t Compare!

OMIGOD, YOU GUYS! Is This Even Real?! I mean, people from 121 Countries Around The World Viewed My Blog?! I’ve Got 730 Followers (Almost 1K)?! Again, A MASSIVE Thankyou To All Of You! These Stats are MIND-BLOWING! I’m Honestly So Proud! *screams!* 😍😍😍

BLOG’S INSTAGRAM

I didn’t start the Instagram for my Blog right away. Instead, I started it a few months after (last June)! Of course, I was amazed by all my fellow blogging friends rushing to support me! My Blog’s Instagram Page @smilingdreamerblog mainly consists of me telling everyone about new blog posts, wishing everyone Happy Holidays, and mainly any blog-related announcements! 💖

Having a Blog Insta Page is fun and pretty cool! It’s definitely helped boost traffic on my blog and I’ve joined a couple of Groups on Instagram where bloggers chat and ask for advice! It’s also GREAT looking at my Insta Feed and finding out what goes on in the lives of other Bloggers! 😘

Over the past couple of months, I’ve managed to reach 400 Instagram Followers (actually they’re down to 395 now – Some people >ahem< unfollowed). Whatever. Having an Instagram Page has been enjoyable! 😉

BLOGGING JOURNEY

We’ve all probably faced a few bumps and rocks in reaching certain goals and destinations we have in mind, right?

But I think we can all agree that things that aren’t exactly easy…are definitely worth it!For me, starting blogging wasn’t all great and dandy in the beginning – which is totally fine! I love to be challenegd!

When I first took the decision to start blogging, I didn’t start using WordPress and I didn’t start as the SmilingDreamer. I created a blog on Weebly, ans started writing a few posts. I immediately realised that the community was basically dead, and that there was absolutely no interaction whatsoever. I went on for a couple of weeks, before I decided to delete the website and start again using another platform. A friend suggested Wix, and I didn’t hesitate to create a blog on there, but the same happened again!

Soon after, I felt determined to not give up & lose hope, so I researched the best platforms to create a blog website, along with looking at other bloggers and what websites they used. WordPress turned out to be the most suitable and appealing website that I can use to create my blog, so I went for it! It was then I decided to change the blog name I had used previosuly & pick a new one. My old name didn’t represent ME – it didn’t feel like ME. I have to admit…it took me a while to think of a blogging name that I liked! I found inspiration by surfing through the websites of a few bloggers, and during my name-hunting party…it just came to me. Smiling Dreamer. It completely symbolized me. I love to smile, and I love to dream! 😻

Once I was satisfied with my blog name, design and overall the blog – I started writing blog posts and the day by day, my blog started to gain followers, likes, and positive comments! I was (and still am) SO proud! I was like “Wow. There are people out there who like me and like my personality and like my blog!”. I definitely recall how I used to look at what other bloggers had achieved and wonder “Will I ever be like that?” and now here I am! 🙌

^^Thanks Nike! The community on WordPress is honestly AMAZING! Everyone is very supportive, kind and motivating! I say this a lot, but it’s just so true! My blog wouldn’t be where it is right now if it wasn’t for you! 💕

The main thing is to just keep going on no matter what! You should never lose hope – just because it didn’t work out in the beginning! It eventually will. I mean, look at me! The start of my blogging journey wasn’t the most successful, but it just shows how being determined to do & achieve something pays off! 😉

Why I Started Blogging

The Orgin Of My Blog! Once upon a time, I was just sitting there feeling bored, so it popped up in my mind to start a blog. The End.

Okay. I have to say: THAT is so lame.

The truth is, writing has been something I’m passionate about since I was in Primary in School! I loved English Class and I always adore writing stories & articles! So, yeah, that’s part of my history! 😂

It was during the start of my Xmas Break in December 2016 when I was lying in my bed late at night, thinking. I wanted to fill in my free time by doing something I’d love & enjoy, but I wasn’t sure exactly what. It was also around this time that they started teeling us at school that we should be doing some sort of extracurricular activity to share on our Uni Personal Statement. As usual, I consulted the internet, and blogging seemed like the only pastime that appealed to me majorly! 😍

I kept thinking about it for a few more nights, then one day, when I was done with the studying I had to do, I was like “Why Not?” and I started to get inspiration from other bloggers & plan for my own blog!

I never thought I might love it the way I do now, and I never imagined that there’ll be others who’ll like me & my blog! I just took the risk and said “I’ll see how it goes!”

Why I Love Blogging

I’ve grown so attached to my blog to an extent that words can’t even describe! I Love It! I don’t need to pretend to be someone I’m not – I could just be myself and everyone likes it! Writing on my blog helps me express myself, my thoughts, my feelings – basically my personality and who I am! It’s wonderful!

In My Blog Post “Blogging Changed My Life“, I talked about all the beauties of blogging and how it’s affected my life! Give it a read to find more about why I absolutely love blogging! 🙃

Blog Awards

These are all the awards I’ve been nominated for this past year! 🏅

Entertainer Blogger Award

Liebster Award

Awesome Blogger Award

Mystery Blogger Award

One Lovely Blog Award

Blogger Recognition Award

Versatile Blogger Award

Hiatus

During my 1st year of blogging, I only took 1 official hiatus (which I now call my “Famous Trademark Hiatus” since I’m taking another official hiatus this year during the same period for my exams).

Of course, that kind of excludes the mini hiatuses I take unplanned between blog posts! 😂

My Blogging Tips

#1 – Be Yourself. Yes, I know, you hear it a million times, but it’s true! There’s no point in copying someone else’s blogging style or name. That isn’t you. It doesn’t represent who you are, and your readers will feel that something is off. So embrace your individuality & creativity. Don’t be scared to be different. It’s a GREAT thing to stand out from the rest of the crowd! So, always do what feels like you, and will give people the right image of your personality!

#2 – Interact with others! Interaction is SO important in blogging – I’v definitely learned that! Always interact with others! Genuinely comment on other people’s blogs and reply to any comments you get on your blog! Don’t just say things like “Great Post” without even reading the post. Read it, get interested, and give people your views & opinions! Comments is like one of the main highlights of blogging! Honestly, the comments I get on my blog posts ALWAYS make my day! It makes me smile so much that I can’t wipe th grin off my face! That’s how effective kind words & compliments are! 😊

#3 – Blog Hopping! Go out there and discover new bloggers to follow! Explore – I call it “Blog Hunting” because it just feels like it! Say you follow a certain blog…go the comments setion and visit the websites of the bloggers who’ve commented on the post, thn check out their posts. After that go to their comments section & do it all over again! You won’t believe how much I’ve expanded my blog by doing this! It’s a fabulous tool!

#4 – Always write quality posts! I find it best to never just rush a post because you haven’t posted in a while. I either write a good, worthy, high-quality blog post or I don’t post at all! I feel it’s better this way!

#5 – Don’t be afraid to joke around with your reades, include GIFs and memes in your posts or share something that’s bothering you! It’s always great to share ramblings, rants, life updates, your feelings, thoughts…ANYTHING on your blog! Why? Because it’s YOUR blog! Do whatever you want with it! No one will judge you – instead people will admire you for being you and having the courage to share it on the internet for the whole world to see! Write about why you’re feeling happy or what’s making you feel stressed, or what you’ve been doing in life lately! You think readers aren’t interested, but they actually are! It’s always fascinating looking in someone else’s life and congratulating them, celebrating with them, advising & helping them – whatever it is.

A Year In Review!

My 1st Blogging Year has been AMAZING! I’m so grateful for everything I’ve been through, and I’m happy to say that blogging changed me in many ways to the better! It’s helped me take more risks, step out of my comfort zone, accept myself, embrace what makes me different, express mysef, make new online blogging friends all over the world and be more confident. What more can I ask for?

I also learned the basics of Graphic Design and I really have fun creating the featured images of my posts using Canva and other apps! Blogging has definitely taught me a lot of skills!

I always tell myself that having a blog is like having a pet! (It might seem weird at first, but wait till I explain). You need to take care of your blog, and dedicate time & effort to it. You need to make sure you’re writing good quality posts, you’re interacting with others, growing your blog, expanding your blog posts into new categories, and adding new feautres to it, and much more! Just like with pets! You need to give it everything it needs!

But most importantly, you must enjoy yourself while doing so. You shouldn’t just blog because you need to. No, you must ave the will to do so. You need to be attached to your blog and to your readers! If you’re not, then something isn’t right! If you’re not interested and enjoying what you’re doing, then how do you expect people to be interested in reading what you write?

Blogging has helped me grow, helped me change and helped me learn more about myself as well as express who I am to the World. Again, I’m very proud, grateful and happy to have accomplished my first ever year of blogging and I hope that this year will be even better! 😌

Extra Not Blogiversary-Related Part

Okay. This part has nothing to do with my blogiversary, but HAVE YOU HEARD CAMILA CABELLO’S DEBUT ALBUM? It’s just….Everytime I hear it I….It makes me feel….

I think I lost my ability to speak. But, this album is just way too MIND-BLOWINGLY AMAZING to be true! I love love love LOVE it so frikin’ much!

I’ve been listing and re-listening to the album throughout the whole month! I think the whole album is my fav, but my favs favs are: Havana (ofc), Something’s Gotta Give, Inside Out, In The Dark, Real Friends & Never Be The Same. They’re just SO GOOD!

Did you miss me? What do you think of this post? How many months/years have you been blogging? Tell me your thoughts, your opinions, ANYthing you want! I’d LOVE to hear what you have to say! 🙂

Thankyou So Much For Reading & I Hope You Didn’t Forget About Me! Have An Awesome Day, And See You Next Time! ❤️

It’s finally Festive Time! *cheers!* I hope you all had a Very Merry & Happy Xmas With Your Family & Friends, and that you all Enjoyed Your Time, Had Fun, And Ate Loads! 🎄 And if you don’t exactly celebrate Xmas, I hope you had an AWESOME time! 😌

I’ve been slightly out of the picture for the past week, but that’s because the days leading up to Xmas Vacation are always jam-packed with LOADS of things to do, and there’s only so much a girl can handle! So…Sorry About That!

The New Year keeps getting nearer and nearer (and so is my Special Blogiversary Post), and I am beyond EXCITED! Yes, maybe my holiday started only 3 days before Xmas, and maybe I’ll be having to study throughout the holiday for my Mock Exams which are right after all the celebrations, during January, which isn’t really exciting. I’m optimistic though! *wink wink*

I’ll just have to try my best at managing my time around: a) Having fun and enjoying the holiday b) Studying and c) Blogging! It’ll be challenging – But I’m determined to make it work and have one of the BEST Holidays Ever! As you can see though, I’m currently not balancing it properly, since this post was supposed to be a up a few days ago…..

No matter what, make sure that you give yourself some down-time to relax and recharge, along with everything else you have to do – It really counts and makes a difference! It’ll definitely help you stay motivated afterwards, and more….ready (is that the right word to use here?) for what the New Year has to throw at you! That was just a bit of advice! After debating my options, I’m probably going to spend New Year’s Eve at home with my family! The reason why I won’t be going to any of the millions of concerts going on, is because I want my New Year’s Eve to be more personal, relaxing & comfortable! 🎉

For Today’s Final Blogmas Post, I decided to share with you 10 Tips & Pieces Of Advice I have in mind, so you can have a Happy & Peaceful 2018! ❤️

These are purely random and are tips that I believe are quite useful in life, and I can relate to at a VERY deep level, from my own life experiences!

#1 – Stand up for what you believe in. Don’t be afraid to be different. Be unique. Don’t just follow the general opinions of everyone, just because you don’t want to be different. Stand out. Be bold. Imagine if everyone were the same in this world. Life would be unimaginably boring & dull. Be part of change. Make a difference. Say it out loud – even if you think no one will agree. Have a voice….not just any voice, but a unique out-of-this-world voice. A voice that might be different, but will contribute to making this world a better place to live in. A positive place. Don’t be a follower of trends & opinions, but be a LEADER. Create trends & opinions.

Stand out and do whatever pleases you. Don’t be scared from being judged, because there’ll always be someone out there judging & criticizing. Don’t think about what others might say about you. Why bother about pleasing everyone? There’ll always be individuals objecting & dissatisfied – individuals who wish to stand in your way and stop you from doing whatever makes you happy. Shrug them off. Don’t listen to them. Ignore them. They don’t deserve it.

Just do whatever pleases you, even if it’s so extraordinary and new and creative. Why not? Life is short & we can’t waste our time by worrying about what others will think. Let them say what they say. Don’t give a damn. If it makes you happy & makes your life better – do it or say it.

#2 – (These numbers kind of feel like Dua Lipa’s New Rules Song). Don’t stress over what you can’t control. There are some things in life which you can’t do anything about – whether you like it or not. So, don’t worry about these things, because your worrying won’t make it any better or worse. Instead, try thinking of what you CAN actually do or what you CAN actually control.

YOU are responsible for how you feel. Not other things that happen in life and not other people. You are the owner of the remote control that is responsible for your overall mood & feelings.

For Instance: say that you had a hangout with a friend today that you were really looking forward to, and they cancel at the last minute for some reason. Of course you’re going to be quite miffed, but will you be reactive or proactive? Will you yell at your friend, ruin the friendship, sit there feeling sad , angry & helpless doing absolutely nothing? Or will you accept how it is sometimes & that there’s nothing you can do, tell your friend “it’s okay”, sit at home & listen to music while reading a good book in bed, and enjoy the extra alone-time? This is just a mini-example, but you should definitely apply the same concept to everything that happens in your life.

So whatever life may throw at you, remember: you’re the one who gets to CHOOSE whether you want to be happy, sad, angry etc.

#3 – Try your best to fight jealousy. It’s simply not good for you – like I had said in my post “Envy Makes You Unfriendly”. There’ll always be someone who you think are better looking, have better grades, have a better job or have a better companion. There’ll always be something or someone who’s better. It’s up to you to handle this piece of information and how you react to it. You can either be negative: say “life is unfair”, be jealous of everyone else, and lose hope in life OR you can be positive: accept that the better might always exist, work hard & do whatever it takes to achieve & possess what others have already accomplished & gained, as well as be friendly to the people you wish to be like. OBviously, the latter is the best!

*WARNING: Mini Rant Coming Ahead*

Believe me, this piece of advice comes from deep experience. You can’t possibly imagine the amount of jealousy that goes around in my school – especially around the girls! There are always classmates and friends who seem insanely jealous from me, and I guess I can understand why. I have the grades, I’m acing all my classes, I’m rather pretty, I’m tall & I have a skinny body, I have a close relationship with my Mum – but honestly, the way some girls act is just SO immature. Gossiping behind my back, saying mean snarky comments to my face, teasing, looking at me in disgust…all this while I did absolutely NOTHING! Don’t let it bother you so much, because that’s what they’re trying to do…They’re trying to get to you. They want to hurt you, destroy you, bring you down to their level, rather than they work hard and become like you. So: Don’t let them break your self-confidence, trust me, I’ve been there – that’s like making them win.

I smile at everyone, I’m super-kind & friendly, I’ve never been a mean girl, and yet this is what I receive from some (some, not all) girls! But probably these are the same reasons why they like to take advantage and show me their dark drama. They know I’m too kind & friendly, but they have no idea how dangerous I could be if they get on my bad side. Words are my weapons sister, and I’m not afraid to use them. I got used to it though. I look right through them as if they don’t exist, give them a cool smile with an icy glare, stare them down till they’re the ones to look away first or I simply tell them that I can see what they’re trying to do. These are the things that drive them absolutely mad & crazy. I mean, come on, at least try to be a little bit more stealthy if you’re going to be jealous! Some people should just write #JEALOUS in black marker all over their head, than try expressing their jealousy through whatever they do! I try my best to create peace & friendliness, but some people just want to spread hatred & envy wherever they go.

#4 – Nobody has it all. As much as it may seem that your friend, colleague or even a celebrity has their life together – most probably that won’t be the case. Everyone has problems – it’s part of life. Take me, for example: everyone at school thinks that everything in my life is going great just because I have the highest grades among the year group, which let me tell you is so not true. Yes, there are many things in my life which are going pretty fine for me, but I DO have other issues and other problems bothering me. I repeat, nobody has it all. Nobody is completely & utterly 100% happy from every single aspect of their life. Nobody has their life completely figured out. That just doesn’t happen in life (as much as we want it to). *sigh*

#5 – Perfection is non-existent. It’s not real. Again, this kind of links to #4. Your life can’t be perfect, and neither can anything else in your life. Which is why we need to stop fighting so hard to find perfection. Why? Well, maybe because we won’t FIND IT – That’s why! Instead, try for nearly-perfect or try until you’re pretty satisfied. A much more reasonable choice, if you ask me! Whatever you do, don’t strive for perfection. It’s just not worth all the time you’ll spend worrying & thinking “Is this perfect enough?”, when in reality…nothing will ever be perfect.

#6 – Be grateful for what you have. We hear this SO many times in our life, yet I just don’t think we do enough of it. Yes, there’ll probably be something that isn’t going quite well for you at the moment, or something you wish to buy, or something you wish to do but for some reasons can’t. These kind of things will always exist, whether we like it or not (Definitely like it not). Because of this, we need to be grateful for what we already have. We need to Thank God for everything He gave us and still gives us. Even though there may be people who are slightly better than you…there are also people who are way worse. Sick people, disadvantaged people, people who can’t access your level of education, and people who can barely access the basics in your life (like: water, housing and clothes). SO, don’t forget to always be thankful, and always be grateful! You can do the 50 Reasons To Be Happy Tag, like I did over here – it definitely helped me be more grateful.

#7 – Don’t Compare. Like they say “Comparison Is Thief Of Joy”. Comparing isn’t good for you. No two are entirely the same in life. No two have the same exact circumstances in life. So, why compare? Unfortunately, comparing is something I highly don’t think any of us can stop completely. We’re always comparing, even when we don’t exactly mean to!

“[Insert Name] looks way prettier than me. [Insert Name] has better grades than me. [Insert Name]’s boyfriend is so handsome. [Insert Name] has such cool parents…Why can’t mine be like that? [Insert Name] has such an awesome high-paying job…Wish I was in their position. [Insert Name] just got that new sporty car I can’t seem to afford – He always has everything.” The list is honestly ENDLESS!

Come to think of it, comparison and jealousy are closely attached to each other. First, you start to compare your life with others, then the jealousy starts to form. This is SO not right. You Are You. You are unique. All that time you spend comparing and wishing you had the life of others, is simply a big waste of time. It’s as if you’re thinking that you aren’t worthy enough. Which isn’t true. So, stop comparing. You don’t deserve the torture and sadness that comparison brings to your life. Instead, think of competing with yourself. That might sound weird, but if you take it seriously and start some sort of personal competition with who you are today and who you were last month, for example – you’ll gradually get better and better!

#8 – Believe in yourself. Have faith. Stay motivated. There will be days in life where you’ll feel down. You’ll feel like giving up. You’ll feel like you don’t want to do (whatever you’re doing) anymore. Why do we feel like this sometimes? Well, we probably lost hope and self-confidence, or we simply feel demotivated. I think we can all relate to these moments very well. Whenever these feelings start to cave in, don’t let negativity lead you towards the wrong direction. Remind yourself of why you started in the first place, tell yourself “I Got This”, have H.O.P.E (Hold On, Pain Ends), read some motivational quotes (plenty of those in my Simply Motivational Quotes Post), continuously work hard & put in the effort!

#9 – Try your best not to procrastinate what you’re supposed to do now. Procrastination is something all of us have probably mastered. How can we overcome it? Well…Nike said it first, “Just Do It!” – don’t wait till your in the mood to do a certain task you’re dreading, because guess what…you’ll NEVER be in the mood. If we just wait till we think is the ‘right time’ for us to do things, then we’ll never get around to doing them. Procrastination is just a form of wasting time. Instead, Get Things Done! If there’s a long sloggy assignment you need to do, then do it! Put your hair up in a bun, clear your desk, turn off all distractions aka your phone, and get working! If you don’t do it now, then you’ll end up doing it the day before the deadline, or having to do it during another time which you actually need and could have used for something else.

#10 – Always put in mind 2 important personality traits. Empathy & Sympathy – not only do they rhyme , but they go hand-in-hand together. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” – in other words, don’t criticize people. Don’t jump to conclusions. You haven’t walked in their shoes. You don’t know what they’ve been through. You haven’t heard their side/view of the story. You don’t know their reasons. SO, don’t judge. Also, appreciate others and try to put yourself in their situation – this is empathy. Try not to be selfish, and to sympathise with how others might feel. Be considerate. Be generous. Not everything is about you. Try to look at things from the perspective of others. You might see a situation in a certain way, but someone else might see it completely differently. That’s because not everyone’s the same. Each person is unique. So, try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and look at things from their side. You’ll discover there are many sides to a story. Have patience. Go out of your way to do random acts of kindness. Be helpful. This is like good Karma. “Do good, and good will come to you”

Wow. I can’t begin to explain how touching these tips are (at least to me)! I wish you all can relate to them too, and agree! 💖

I’m currently not sure whether this will be the last post of 2017 or not tbh! My highly-anticipated post might be published on the last day of the year, or make its debut in 2018 – A New Month, A New Year, A New Beginning.

SO, if this turns out to be the last post, then Goodbye 2017! You’ve been SO good & I hope that 2018 is EVEN BETTER and that it brings more happiness & positivity to everyone’s lives (including me of course)! 😍

Did you enjoy this post? Do you relate to my Top Ten Pieces Of Advice? Which were your fav? How was your Christmas? Can you add to this list of tips? Let Me Know Down Below In The Comments Section! 😊

You Don’t Feel So Bad If You Stay At Home – Yup…that’s pretty much accurate! 😊

Black Is Even More Comfortable & Stylish – Black is always fashionable, but wearing black in Summer is torture! It’s just sooooo hot! But in Winter… it’s no problem!

More Indoor Time – I mean, we all like going out to the mall and stuff, but I think we can all agree that staying indoors and doing what you love is awesome! 😜

Rain – Just watching the droplets of rain pound on the windows and on the streets while daydreaming is such a wonderful experience! In Egypt, it barely ever rains during the Summer, so I always wait for Winter for it to start raining more often! 🌧

Can Wear My Hair Down More Often – In Summer, I’m always having to wear my hair in a bun or as a ponytail because of the weather, but in Winter I can wear more varied hair styles and have my hair down! 💁

Boots – *All eyes on you, Uggs*

Candles – Bath & Body Works Candles are hands-down…AMAZING! 😌

You Have An Excuse To Go To The Hair Salon More Often – That definitely counts as a pro! To prevent having to wash your hair & stay longer in the shower in this cold weather, I have a reason to go to the Salon more! 💆🏻

I think half of this list has to do with certain fashion items, but…who cares, right? Because I like to be a positive person, I WON’T talk about the bad side of Winter (like: having to wake up early and get out of your warm cosy bed & blankets, or the freezing cold showers), so we can radiate happiness all through this Wondeful Winter Season, and forget about the negatives! *wink wink*

Ready For Part 2 Of This Post? Here We Go!

WHAT I DO IN WINTER:

Study Hard And Do Homeworks – Not exactly exciting, but I had to say it! 📚

Sleep More – True Story! 😴

Listen To Music In Bed – I think this is probably an all-year activity, but it’s always SO good during in Winter! 🎧

Snuggle Up & Watch TV/Movies/A Series/YouTube – Cosyyyyyyyy! ❤️

Flip Through Magazines – Very Entertaining Indeed!

Read Books – #1 Introvert Occupation, Especially When The Weather Is Cold (Btw does anyone know a good website that provides free ebooks? I used to use ibookpile, but the website stopped working…) 📖

Go To The Movies – In the Winter? Yup, Winter just keeps getting better and better everyday!🍿

Stay More Active On Social Media – This is actually kind of weird, but in Winter I always check my Social Media more than during the Summer! I guess, I lose some interest during the Summer months!

Take MOOC’s (Massive Open Online Courses) – Have you heard of FutureLearn? It’s a great website that have LOADS of free online courses from Universities all around the World! It’s a very enlightening experience, and it counts as extracurricular! 🤓

You’ll notice I haven’t mentioned Snow even once in this Winter Post – mainly because a) it NEVER snows in Egypt, and b) I haven’t EVER seen or touched Snow in my life. Maybe One Day Though…I’m Still Hopeful! 😌

What do YOU like about Winter? What do YOU usually do in Winter? Have you seen/touched Snow before? What is it like? What’s YOUR fav season? Do you know a good website for free ebooks? And Most Importantly, Did you enjoy this post?

Don’t Forget To Let Me Know ALL Your Answers In The Comments Below, And Anything Else You Wish To Say! 😊

Today’s (AWESOME) Post Is Dedicated For All The Music-Lovers Out There In The World! >Ahem, Ahem< Yes, I Happen To Be One Of Them. 🎧🎼

As you (probably) read in the Post Title, this ISN’T exactly a Christmas Playlist! 🎄

SO, even though everyone out in the blogging world is posting playlists full of all the Christmassy Songs (Like Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ – which I TOTALLY love btw), this Playlist is quite…different.

“Why Is That?” I Hear You Ask, “Why Is It Not A Xmas Playlist & Why Is It Different?” 🤔

*drumroll please* Well, because it’s a Playlist For The WHOLE OF 2017 aka My Playlist Of The Year! So My Dreamers, Prepare To Indulge Into My Fav Songs Throughout 2017! 😍

Boy, are they a lot…On 2nd thought, I Hope I Don’t Forget Anything….
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Btw: These are in no particular order AND to save you the time of searching up all 55 songs and stuff…At The End Of This Post, I’ve Placed A Link To The Playlist On Anghami (Which Is An App/Website Like Spotify and AppleMusic). Don’t Forget To Thank Me Later! 😉

Little Mix

They ARE my favourite Girl Band, and this year many of their songs were my GREAT!

No More Sad Songs

Power ft. Stormzy

Is Your Love Enough?

Dear Lover

If I Get My Way

Shawn Mendes

Okay. So The Illuminate Album was actually released in September 2016, but the Deluxe Edition which was released last April counts, right? Honestly, I LOVE Shawn Mendes SO SO much and his songs are just REALLY soulful & beautiful! His songs never fail to put a smile on my face – I’m always left so touched by him! The WHOLE album is my FAV, honestly!

There’s Nothing Holding Me Back

Treat You Better

No Promises

Mercy

Roses

Understand

Honest

Ruin

Don’t Be A Fool

Patience

Bad Reputation

Lights On

Inna

Inna is a Singer from Romania, that not many people know tbh. BUT…her voice is AMAZING! I love love love all her songs, and if you haven’t heard of her – you honestly need to go and listen to some of her songs! She just released an Album ‘Nirvana’ this month, and I already have favs!

Dream About The Ocean

Tropical

Hands Up

Fade Away

Ruleta– The Tune Of The Song & The Chorus Is The Reason I Like This Song!

Gimme Gimme

My Dreams

Ed Sheeran

Do I Need To Say More? *shaking head no* I Like The Whole Album, But I have Certain Favs – aka 2 Main favs!

Shape Of You– I know what you’re thinking. 😂

Perfect

End Game ft. Taylor Swift

Camila Cabello

YESSSSSSSS BABE! She. Blows. My. Mind. Every. Single. Time. Ever since she left Fifth Harmony, she has SHINED! Her songs this year were GOALS and I honestly can’t wait for her Album in Januray!

Havana – Duh!

Crying In The Club

Real Friends – Just Dropped!

Know No Better ft. Major Lazer

Never Be The Same – Just Dropped!

Selena Gomez

An All-Time Fav Of Mine tbh. I remember when I was little and used to watch her in A Waverly Place. Yup, I’m an Old Fan! *wink wink*

It Ain’t Me– Heart!💓

Wolves

Hailee Steinfeld

HAILEE! She Has Such A Beautiful Voice That Never Fails To Make Me Feel Peaceful & Relaxed!

Most Girls: This Song Is A MAJOR Source Of Self-Confidence!

Let Me Go

Show You Love (ft Sigala)

Zara Larsson

She Released Her ‘So Good’ Album in Mind-March and it’s SO SO SO Good! I LOVE her songs! They always make me feel so upbeat and happy! #goals

Symphony – SO Touching! (Did you see the music video?)

I Would Like

Lush Life

Ain’t My Fault

Never Forget You

Demi Lovato

Demi isn’t really oe of my regular favourites when it comes to music, but I DID like 2 of her songs this year!

No PromisesInstructions

Taylor Swift

The ALBUM. Yup. That’s it. That’s ALL you need to know. The whole thing is…Fabulous! But, of course, I have my favs!

…Ready For It?

Call It What You Want

Gorgeous

I Did Something Bad

King Of My Heart

Dancing With Our Hands Tied

Others

They’re Just Labelled As Others, Since I Only Had 1 Fav Song From Each Of These Artists. Also, In No Particular Order.

Ciao Adios – Anne Marie

Mama – Jonas Blue

Attention – Charlie Puth

How Long Charlie Puth

I’m A Lady – Meghan Trainor

Despacito – Luis Fonsi– Cliché Much?

2U – David Guetta & Justin Bieber

Waterfall – P!nk & Sia

New Rules – Dua Lipa

Wild Thoughts – Rihanna

That’s What I Like – Bruno Mars

Me Enamoré – Shakira

Mi Gente – J Balvin ft. Beyoncé

Dusk Till Dawn – Zayn ft. Sia

Something Just Like This – Chainsmokers

Everyday – Ariana Grande ft. Future– AND Ariana’s Dangerous Woman Album! It’s from 2016, but it has been on repeat throughout 2017! Especially Side To Side!

Is Music Important In Your Life? Do you have more to add to my playlist? What Are YOUR Fav Songs Of 2017? Do You Like My Playlist? How’s December Going For You? Tell Me Your Thoughts In The Comments Below!

Really Hope You Enjoyed This Post, And My Music Selections Of The Year! 🙂

I have a so-called “Holiday” Break from the 20th December till the 2nd of January – but it’s kind of annoying how I have all my AS-Level Mocks right after. So, in other words…it’s more of a study break.🙃

BUT, still, that doesn’t mean I won’t be blogging or that I won’t have fun and celebrate! *wink wink*

I still have no plans for how I’m going to spend my New Year’s Eve (at home? at a concert?) – I’ll make sure to tell you though when I find out! 😄

The Blogging World has been exploding with Blogmas posts everywhere, and I can’t deny that I’m LOVING them all! Personally, I’ll be doing Blogmas a bit differently. #lovetobeunique

I won’t be posting everyday (even tho I’d love to – but let’s be realistic, I won’t be able to), but I’ll be posting around 2-3 posts per week! That’s for how I’ll be scheduling it! 🕒

The way I do Blogmas itself is also going to be different, since I plan on publishing 2 types of Blogmas posts! There’ll be posts which are more Christmas-Themed (like: Xmas Wishlist, Xmas Playlist, Xmas Tag, Xmas Q&A). 🎄

And there’ll be other posts which aren’t really festive-related, but I assure you will be interesting & relevant to this Special Time of the Year – since we’re approaching a New Year…2018! ⭐️✨

Confession Time….This is the first time doing Blogmas, and I really hope you’ll enjoy all my posts throughout the month! 😊

Also, there will be a VERY exciting post coming up near the end of the month – which happens to be my 1 Year Blogiversary! I can’t believe it’s been almost a year! But it’s definitely been an AMAZING Blogging Journey that I’ve enjoyed! 😍

SO: Welcome To My 1st BLOGMAS Post!

Many Students Around The World & Friends (including me) have Exams & Mocks this Month or in January, and I must admit it’s hard staying focused during all the excitement of Xmas and the New Year and the Holidays!

Even if you aren’t a student or Even if you are…All of us no doubtedly have Goals & Wishes or Resolutions we hope to achieve in 2018! Which is why EVERYONE needs to be motivated!

Today, I’ll be doing a classic Simply Quotes Post (I haven’t done one in a while!) based on Motivation, BUT with a Christmas Theme!

Get Ready For A Christmassy Journey Full Of Motivation! ❤️

“Do Something Today That Your Future Self Will Thank You For” 🙌

“I’m Not Here To Be Average – I’m Here To Be Awesome!”

“Don’t Study Because You Need To. Study Because Knowledge Is Power. Study Because They Can Never Take It Away From You. Study Because You Want To Know More. Study Because It Enhances You. Study Because It Grows You.” 📖

“It’s Not What’s Under The Tree That Matters….It’s Who’s Gathered Around It” 💁

“If You Were Able To Believe In Santa Claus For Like 8 Years…You Can Believe In Yourself For Like 5 Minutes” 😄

“Study HARD. No matter if it seems impossible. No matter if it takes time. No matter if you have to stay up all night. Just Remember: That The Feeling Of Success Is The Best Thing In The Entire World”

“Doubt Kills More Dreams, Than Failure Ever Will.”

“Don’t Study Until You Get It Right. Study Until You Can Never Get It Wrong” 💪

“Don’t Decrease The Goal. Increase The Effort”

“When You Choose Joy, You Feel Good, And When You Feel Good, You Do Good, And When You Do Good, It Reminds Others Of What Joy Feels Like, And It Might Just Inspire Them To Do The Same!” 😉

“It’s Okay To Be Scared. Being Scared Means You’re About To Do Something Really Really Brave.” 👏

“Sometimes You Have To Give Yourself Pep Talks, Like ‘Hello, You’re a badass woman. Don’t be sad. You got this and I love you.” 😘

“Be that girl who wakes up with purpose and intent. Be that girl who shows up and never gives up. Be that girl who believes anything is possible and is willing to work for it!”

“May happy lovely times decorate your holiday season. May warm special memories brighten your new year. May the magic of christmas be with you forever.” ⭐️

“Good things come to those who wait. Good things come to those who work their asses off and never give up.” 😎

“Always Remember Why You’re Doing It” 💖

“Of Course It’s Hard. It’s Supposed To Be Hard. If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Do It. Hard Is What Makes It Great.” 😌

“You can’t get much done in life, if you only work on days when you feel good.”

“You don’t want to look back and know you could’ve done better.” 💜

“Don’t Stop Until You’re Proud!”

“It’s A Slow Process But Quitting Won’t Speed It Up.” 🎀

“If you are not willing to learn, no one acan help you. If you are determined to learn, no onecan stop you.” 😊

“Wake up early. Work hard. Be ambitious. Keeo your priorities straight, your mind right and your head up. Do well, live well and dress really well. Do what you love, love what you do. It’s time to start living.”

“Wake Up With Determination. Go To Bed With Satisfaction.” 😴

“Ask Yourself If What You’re Doing Today Is Getting You Closer To Where You Want To Be Tomorrow.” 💡

“Discipline: Is Doing What Needs To Be Done, Even If You Don’t Want To Do It.”

“If you have time to whine and complain about something, then you have the time to do something about it.” 💛

“Success doesn’t just come and find you. You have to go out and get it.” 💚

“You only fail when you stop trying.”

For All You Harry Potter Fans, I couldn’t Leave This One Out: “Study Like Gragner” 😂

“Sometimes, there is no next time. No second chance. No time out. Sometimes it’s now or never.” 💕

These are ALL the motivational quotes that have motivated ME during my IGCSE’s and still motivate me! 🙂

Share This Post On Social Media! Spread The Motivation! Save The Link Of The Post In Your Notes So You Can Get Back To It, Whenever You’re Feeling Down!

Good Luck To Everyone Who Has Exams To Study For, Or Goals & Wishes To Achieve, Or Both (Like Me)! Really Hope This Post Is Useful, Sweet & Everything Nice! 😍

YES! Your eyes aren’t fooling you – you DID read the title right! I present to you MY 1st EVER OFFICIAL SHOPPING HAUL POST! *Cheers And Confetti Falling!*

If you read my last post “Dazzling Dubai Trip” – you probably know all about how I’ve done a decent amount of shopping while I was in Dubai over the Half Term Holidays! AND…Today is the special day where I get to share all my AWESOME Purchases with you!

I also want to THANK every single one of you because, 700 FOLLOWERS? IS THIS FOR REAL? OMIGOD – I HONESTLY CAN’T BELIEVE IT! This means SO much to me, and I’m SO happy that loads of you like my blog and my posts and my style and my personality! THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU! ❤️😘 #forever #grateful

So, Let Us Wait No More & Start The Shopping Journey!😍

Hollister Hoodie: One of the BEST things I bought! It’s so casual, cool & chic – it makes me feel very warm too! I can already tell that this will be one of my to-go favourite hoodies of all time! LOVE! ❤️💙

Aeropostale Hoodie: The COLOUR = YASSS! As you can see, I’m an ultimate Hoodie-Lover, so why not add another cool one (that was on Sale) to my collection – especially that it’s in such an amazing colour! 😊

Hollister T-Shirt: I don’t think I’ve bought a Purple T-Shirt in a couple of years – but this looked SO good when I tried it on! 💜

Aeropostale T-Shirt: Cute much? From the Polka Dots to the Colour & Style of the Aeropostale logo – I’m certain this will become one of my fav T-Shirts in the Summer! 😍

SuperDry Sweatpants: Comfy x 10,000! One of the best fashionable colours on the Entire Planet? Yes! Warm Soft Material? Check! Cool Logo? Yup! Honestly these pants were a steal! 😎

Sephora Lip Scrub: I got this Sephora Honey Lip Scrub after reading about it on the internet, and, honestly, I DO understand why everyone gave very good reviews about it! I mean, a lip scrub in a stick? I had to try it! Can we just take a second to admire the cutesy packaging? It gives gentle exfoliation & this beyond-amazing mosturizing base on your lips! What pleasantly surprised me is that it’s not sticky or greasy at all – even though it’s made of sugar exfoliants! It leaves my lips feeling soft & smooth – Which Is OBviously GOALSSS! 🙌

Converse Shoes: Every 2 years, I buy a pair of Converse Shoes – because I outgrow my old ones. It was actually time to buy a new pair, since it’s been 2 years & a half since I bought my old pink ones! BUT…this year is different! Why? Because I ended up buying 2 Pairs! The More = The Merrier! Plus, I bought it from this shop (in Deira City Centre – click here if you don’t know what I’m talking about) and they had discounts on the whole Converse Line! 💗👟

Abercrombie & Fitch Jacket: AHHHHHHHH! Yessss – this is me screaming! This is actually my 1st A&F Purchase, and I’m SO happy! This jacket is EVERYTHING! I don’t know what to start describing: the pretty colour, or the fact that it’s full of soft fur from the inside?! LOVE IT! 💖

Gap Pullover: The heart is SO colourful & lovely – don’t you think? Especially, since the res of the Pullover has a dark gray background! It makes the heart stand out! 😄

Gap Jacket: Grey + Pink = Awesome Colour Conbination! Do you agree? Without any further explanation, Gap have some of the BEST jackets in the fashion world! Again, casual & stylish! 😉

Palladio Lipstick: We were at the DrugStore/Pharmacy looking around, and I saw the stand for Palladio Makeup – which I decided to walk over to! THEN, I saw thisshade of lipstick, tried the tester and fell in love with it! I’ve admitted in a couple of posts ago that I admire pink-ish lipsticks – and this is the PERFECT shade! The only thing I must admit is…I didn’t really hear of the brand before! 💄💋

VS Pink Bag: I had a very cool VS Pink Bag last year and I SO wanted to buy one this year – but I was traveling (in Sharm a few months ago) and the stores in Egypt ran out of stock by the time I came back! Which is why I didn’t hesitate for a second to buy this bag – because a) I actually wanted one b) The colour is GORGEOUS c) It’s really spacious & the layout is simply a Thumbs-Up! 👍👍👍

Juicy Couture T-Shirt: SO ELEGANT Yet Casual-Looking! It’s basically a navy blue T-Shirt with Juicy Couture’s Logo written in silver, with the official crown logo on top if it (also in silver)! Mixing Navy Blue & Silver Together is actually one of my FAV colour combinations of all-time, so you can see why this shirt really appealed to me! 👕💕 (I’m sorry I couldn’t provide the picture at the moment!)

I bought a few more things here and there (mostly souvenirs and things like that), but these are definitely the shopping highlights!

What do you think of my SHOPPING SKILLS? Do you like my taste in fashion? What’s your FAV thing out of all the things I bought? Did you read my post? Don’t Forget To Let Me Know All Your Answers In The Comments Below!💓👇

DUBAI! Yes – This is the special place where I traveled over the Half Term Holidays! After All The Wait & Anticipation…The Secret Surprise Is Finally Out!

Hello Blogging World & Welcome Back To Another Exciting Post! 💗

Before I go on with this post, I just want to apologise for being inactive this past week. Honestly, it feels like I’m starting all my posts with an apology for being MIA, but what can I do? School, School, School – it’s so frustrating! There’s SO much work to do in AS Levels. I feel like blogging, or checking out my reader – but instead, I have to do long yet useful Maths Homework, and study Physics. And when I’m not doing schoolwork, I’m helping out at home and doing chores. I hate how there seems to be long gaps between each of my blogposts, but I can’t help it! #frustrated I guess we just have to accept matters how they are, and live with it…So, Please, Bear With Me And I Promise I’m Trying My Best To Update Regularly & Stay Active! 🙂

Back To The Post! 👇

DUBAI! Me & My Parents went for a short trip during the last week of October, but Dubai is FABULOUS! It wasn’t my 1st time there (I went twice when I was 5-7 yrs old), and I had SO much fun! Because I want to spread the positivity…I’m going to be sharing with you EVERYTHING in this post! *cheers*

Hotel

We stayed at Coral Hotel in Deira (one of the towns in Dubai), and it was honestly a pleasant stay! The rooms are very clean, the reception staff are kind & welcoming, and all the facilities are provided! We also didn’t hear any noise from the street outside (probably the windows are double-glazed), so it was very peaceful to sleep! We booked a Bed Only Room – meaning that we don’t know what the breakfast is really like. We bought some basic breakfast items (like: bread and cheese) and just ate breakfast in the room everyday! The hotel isn’t really near to a Metro Station, but honestly, in Dubai, the main transportation method is just Taxis! However, the hotel is (luckily) very near from City Centre Deira – a fantastic mall I’ll talk about later in this post! Overall, we enjoyed the stay at the hotel! 👍👍

Shopping

Obviously, the main point of travelling is to explore new places and have an enjoyable time! But, right after, comes shopping!🛍 Especially when you’re in a city full of breathtaking shopping malls, right? *wink wink*

There are many malls in Dubai, but we mainly went to 3 Great Malls! 😍

City Centre Deira This Mall is located in Deira Town (near the hotel), and provides brilliant fashion choices! You’re most likely going to find everything you need there! It has 3 Floors, and of course, a hypermarket aka Carrefour! We went there twice, just to have doube the fun & enjoyment! 😄

I went into this Shop called “Sports City” and they had a vast collection of sneakers (including Converse & Adidas), plus very good discounts!

They also have Virgin, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams there!

All in All, the Mall is Awesome, and the layout of the shops is very simple & nice! ❤️

Dubai Mall It is…..it was just……the mall is….absolutely……just…..totally……MIND-BLOWING! As you can OBviously see, I can’t seem to form proper sentences! That’s how flabbergasted I was, and still am. There. Is. EVERYTHING there. Honestly, it’s so so so so HUGE – you can’t imagine until you actually go there! Think of ANY shop, and there’s a 99% chance you’ll find it there! Seriously, No Kidding! We didn’t even get to finish walking through the whole mall! It’s 4 Floors, and each floor is sooooooo loooooong & biiiiiiig!

The design of the mall is very modern, new and stunning! I mean, can you imagine this is actually inside the mall?👇

There is this Magnificent Aquarium there, and it’s FULL with all various types and colours of Fish & Sharks! It’s so fascinating to watch!

Then, outside of the mall, there is Dubai’s Largest Dancing Fountain and it’s AMAZING! The only downside, is that it’s so crowded there – but luckily the fountain travels really high so I managed to see it!

The Mall is also right next to Burj Khalifa, a must-see tourist attraction in Dubai aka The Tallest Building In The WORLD and 1 of the 7 Wonders Of The World! In the main entrance of the mall, they have this sculpture of the tower (is sculpture the right word?), and it’s so cool!

The only thing I might have not liked is the fact that the layout of the shops is confusing and not really organised – meaning lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of walking, to get to a shop you need! To make matters more intimidating, the maps are even more confusing and inaccurate – so, yeah. Warning: You won’t be able to finish this mall in 1 day, even if you’re the fastest walker/shopper on Earth! But…the mall itself? GOALS!!!

Mall Of EmiratesLOVED This Mall! 😍😍 It’s like a balance between City Centre Deira & Mall Of Emirates! It has a selection of high-end fashion shops as well as all the international brands! It’s a bit far from Deira though, meaning that we had to pay an expensive Taxi Fare! But…it was definitely worth it!

The design & arrangement of the mall is very stylish and easy-to-follow! Walking through this mall was honestly a breeze – I really enjoyed my time there! The range of shops is very wide and diverse – from Chanel & Cavalli to Tory Burch to Micheal Kors & Ted Baker to Abercrombie & Fitch to Polo Ralph Lauren to Topshop & Sephora to Zara & Mango…The variety is endless! We also went there twice during our trip! 😎

Of course, there’s a Virgin, Debenhams, Carrefour AND Harvey Nichols there! You can find the complete list of shops in the mall here! They also have Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort – but we weren’t really interested in going! 😂

I alos really liked the restaurats in Mall Of Emirates – there was a lot to pick from! We had lunch at a Lebanese Restaurant called “Al Halabi”, and we savoured a delicious Chocolate Éclaire at Paul! 😋

Anyway, I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED this mall! A definite must go-to when in Dubai! ❤️❤️❤️

Other Cool Malls We Didn’t Get To Go To Include: Mirdif City Centre

Marina Mall

Dubai Festival City

Burjuman Centre

Mercato Mall

Ibn Batutta Mall

Tourist Attractions + Places To Go

Burj El Arab Hotel: The most luxurious hotel in the World! We didn’t go inside, but it looks STUNNING in reality!

Burj Khalifa:1 of the 7 Wonders of the World! It is the TALLEST Building in the World at 830m with a whooping 163 Floors! It looks absolutely enchanting! Plus, it’s beside Dubai Mall & The Dubai Fountain, which are both also must-sees! Fun Fact: Dubai is full of LOADS of skyscrapers and tall buldings! 😜Miracle Garden: I SO SO SO SO wanted to go! “Well…Why didn’t you?” I hear you say. Well, because it was CLOSED for renovations! Obviously perfect timing. *note the sarcasm* BUT, you should definitely go there when in Dubai! The Miracle Garden is this colourful flower garden, and even the photos look magical! Let alone going there?! There’s an entry fee of 50AED meaning $13.61 or 10GBP. Lets just say it’d be an AWESOME experience!

Global Village: Apparently, it’s the world’s largest tourism, leisure, shopping and entertainment project, or so they say! And it was on my to-go list! But, unfortunately, they were also CLOSED for some kind of season-change holiday break and are due to reopen in November! Perfect Timing #2 – *eye roll* It looks cool, though!

Atlantis, The Palm: It’s a posh, elegant, luxurious resort in The Palm Islands, which is located in Jumeirah (another town in Dubai)! We didn’t go there though, since it’s veryyy far away from our Hotel. To go to Palm Islands & other places in Jumeirah, it’s preferred to stay at a Hotel located in Jumeirah itself.

Jumeirah Beach Road (JBR) and Marina: There are many things to do there! It’s a Marina (a long road overlooking the beach), and it’s full of shops, cafés, and restaurants! Again, we didn’t go since Jumeirah is so far away from where we stayed (Deira).

City Walk: This is an outdoor retail complex full of shops & restaurants! It’s simply an Outdoor Mall! We REALLY wanted to go, but we sadly didn’t have any time. *sad face*

As you can see, we didn’t go everywhere – but we SO wanted to! Like they say though, “Quality Over Quantity” – meaning that the aim of our trip wasn’t to go everywhere & spend minimal time in each. However, it was to go to a selection of places and spend quality time in each place, along with doing some awesome purchases – which I did!

BUT, Me & My Parents want to visit Dubai again! We hope to able to go there again sometime soon, stay at a Hotel in Jumeirah, and visit all the places we didn’t visit yet!

Before I start to end this post though, can we just take a moment to talk about TAYLOR SWIFT and her New Album REPUTATION?! Ojfhkjzfkskfkgsfdhfks – Is This Album For Real? It’s SO SO Good. No, wait, scratch that. It’s AMAZING! I’ve been listening to it everyday since the release, and I can’t seem to get bored from it! Each song is better than the one before! I have, like, 13 FAVS out of the 15 Songs! I LOVE It! 😍😍😍

Did you go to Duabi before? If not, do you want to go there? What did you think of this post? Did you like it? Have you heard Reputation? What do you think of it? What’s your fav song(s)? Let Me Know Down Below In The Comments! 🙂